Malfunctions of the electric power steering and how to understand that the power steering is broken

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18.02.2021

Electric power steering is designed to make driving life easier. It helps to turn the steering wheel in a parking lot without putting much effort; in modern cars it prevents accidents and makes driving easier. It is more reliable and better than the hydraulic booster, but it still breaks down, although less often. Let's look at the main malfunctions in the operation of the electric amplifier and how they manifest themselves in order to be prepared for repair costs.

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Symptoms of EUR malfunction

The most obvious one is the warning light on the dashboard coming on. It's a steering wheel with an exclamation mark. This icon comes in two colors – yellow and red. In the first case, you can drive the car, but you need to pull out the fuse for the electric power steering to completely cut off the power. In the second case, driving is not recommended; the power steering mechanism may block the steering wheel or you will lose complete control of the steering wheel.

The second sign can be considered the appearance of “heaviness” on the steering wheel , like on a domestic “classic”. At the same time, the buzzing of the electric motor will not be heard from under the steering column in the case of Kalina and Priora. This failure is reinforced by a warning indicator on the dashboard.

Fuse blown . This is a clear sign of a serious malfunction in the electric amplifier. The cause may be problems in the electrical part - oxidized contacts, damaged wiring, short circuit. Failures in the mechanical part of the power steering can also lead to a blown fuse - jamming of the gearbox or destruction of the steering rack. This leads to increased load on the amplifier motor, and as a result, a large current flows through the fuse.

Increased car engine speed at idle can serve as an indirect sign of a breakdown of the electric power steering.

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Why do steering problems occur?

The main reason is the unsatisfactory condition of the roads. The car's suspension absorbs most of the shock to the wheels, but some of it is still transmitted to the steering mechanisms. It is worth noting that fans of low-profile tires risk much more than adherents of using standard wheels - low tires are unable to smooth out bumps, and this significantly reduces the service life of both the suspension and steering wheel.

But car owners should remember that even with extremely careful driving on a perfectly flat road, they will still have to change individual steering elements. They have a limited service life and some parts are consumables.

Where to look for the reason

Electrical problems may occur due to oxidized connector contacts. The ingress of moisture and dirt impairs the conductivity of the contacts, and as a result, errors in the operation of the EUR.

Failures in the electronics may be due to loss of signal from the torque sensor. For example, on domestic cars the contacts are poorly soldered. Over time, they “go away”, and problems with the electric booster begin. It is enough to clean them and solder them well and the problem will disappear. If the speed sensor does not work, the EUR will generate an error and refuse to work.

Fuse . Even if it looks intact, you need to examine it carefully. There were cases when the amplifier turned off and generated error 1058 “Engine, phase windings shorted” (relevant for VAZ models) due to burnt fuse contacts. Cleaning the contact surfaces or replacing the fuse eliminated the malfunction of the electric amplifier.

The reason for the failure of the amplifier may be in the mechanical part. This applies to the gearbox and steering rack. The first one may jam due to water and dirt getting into the planetary gears or their physical destruction - read “Design and principle of operation of the electric power steering.”

Damage to the rack boots leads to water, dust and dirt getting inside. This destroys the rack from the inside, the bearings are damaged, and the steering mechanism jams. There were cases when the ridges were licked onto the slats, the “worm” of the shaft rotated, and the connection between the car’s wheels and the steering wheel was lost.

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Main components of the ESD and their interaction

Thanks to the process performed by the electric power steering, the load when turning the car is reduced. Driving a Priora car becomes much easier - the system prevents dangerous maneuvers at above average speeds.

Main components of the EUR:

• steering wheel;
• column;
• shaft;
• electric motor;
• mechanism for turning the steering wheel;
• ECU (electronic control unit);
• torque sensor

When the car makes a turn, the electric booster is activated, and torque is provided with the help of the electric motor. After which the sensor takes measurements and sends them to the electronic control unit. Based on the degree of rotation and its sharpness, the unit calculates the required power and supplies it.

Previous VAZ cars had power steering; it produced the same power both when driving straight and when turning (this is unsafe). Electric power steering in this case is a more reliable system, as it senses all changes in the movement of the vehicle. However, with kilometers traveled or careless driving, this unit can quickly fail. Failure to detect a breakdown in a timely manner can result in death - the wheels will simply stop working. As a result, an emergency situation arises. There may be different malfunctions, the methods of elimination depend on the characteristics of the breakdown.

How to check the EUR yourself

To understand what is broken in the amplifier, you need to diagnose it. Not every car owner has a diagnostic scanner; some people like to repair the car themselves. In this case, you can determine the malfunction of the electric amplifier yourself using a paper clip. This option is suitable for Kalina and Priora cars.

"Paperclip" method

We disassemble the protective cover of the steering column and get to the amplifier control unit. We find a black block with six wires. It is necessary to close contacts 7 and 6 between each other - “ground” and “K-line”. If you look at the block from the side of the wires, then the countdown goes from right to left, from top to bottom. You need a brown wire - contact number 7 and an empty socket, not used - number 6 in a row.

Turn off the ignition, insert a paper clip into the contacts, make sure that it does not short-circuit the other wires. Turn on the ignition and count the number of flashes of the warning light on the dashboard. One long signal, and then several short ones, these are the ones that need to be counted. Let's look at the decoding of fault codes for Kalina's electric booster :

1. One short one – the system is working;
2. Two - No signals from the engine speed sensor;
3. Three – The torque sensor is faulty;
4. Four – Electric motor failure;
5. Five – There is no signal from the steering shaft position sensor;
6. Six – The rotor position sensor is faulty;
7. Seven – Low voltage on-board network;
8. Eight – EUR control unit;
9. Nine – Vehicle speed sensor.

In practice, this method may not always show real breakdowns. In this method, the control unit checks itself, and it needs to be checked under load. There were cases when it generated false errors, and the fault was hidden in the electric power steering ECU.

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Replacing the electric booster

After the necessary repair of the electric power steering or its replacement, it is necessary to assemble the steering column, which is done in the reverse order. First, we install the lower hinge on the gear shaft and connect the steering column shaft to the intermediate driveshaft.

Next, remove the nut and bolt that tightens the intermediate shaft, and separate the upper and lower hinges. After installing the lower hinge in place, turn the steering shaft until the bolt hole in the upper hinge and the lower part of the shaft coincide.

We connect the hinges and tighten them together using a bolt. We connect the tire and wire blocks to the fasteners, and then install all the removed elements: steering column switches, ignition switch, and lastly, install the steering wheel cover and panels.

Thus, you can change a non-working electric power steering unit yourself without much difficulty in a garage or auto repair shop. This will make driving more comfortable.

How to protect the electric amplifier from damage

1. We check the integrity of the steering rack boots;
2. We try not to get into deep puddles, we cross water obstacles less often;
3. We do not allow the power circuits to be overloaded by excessive force on the steering wheel. This happens when trying to get out of a rut when the wheel rests against the wall of the rut, when trying to turn a wheel that is pressed tightly against the curb or in the sand;
4. We carefully drive onto the curb. A strong blow to a vertical obstacle at an angle can destroy the mechanical part of the power steering.

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Signs of play in slats

When driving over small irregularities such as a gravel road, shocks and knocks in the suspension are clearly audible and are transmitted to the steering wheel. These signs will not always refer to play in the rack. Similar impacts to the steering wheel can occur due to broken steering ends or a broken crosspiece of the steering mechanism. Before you begin repairing the rack, you must exclude the tips and steering cross from suspicion.

Signs:

• Impacts to the steering wheel when driving over bumps
• Creaking sound when turning the steering wheel
• Biting the steering wheel in different positions
• The steering wheel does not return to zero position

Checking for play

Checking for play is done by rocking the swing arms up and down. To do this, we find the steering rods under the hood and pull each of them up and down; there should be no play or knocking. If any, then the rack should be maintained.

__________________ Signature removed by moderator, unacceptable size. Some people have complexes about the size.

__________________ Signature removed by moderator, unacceptable size. Some people have complexes about the size.

Dream, I did this. The arrival is noticeable, but not long (and it didn’t leave for half a year, the backlash appeared again). Rubber doesn't last long. I want to try to reduce the distance between the torsion bar limiters by welding (you’ll understand when you open it). In the Rostov cell, someone put some kind of plastic instead of rubber, until he complains. The lock sits on the steering shaft and is secured with 4 bolts. When you unscrew the lock, make cuts on the bolts for a screwdriver.

Added after 57 seconds astealz, so what? Is it more fun to drive?

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Let the gloss of the posters convince us otherwise, Let the world on television be boring and deceitful, We again repeat our poster slogan: Rock and roll is dead, but rock is still alive!

__________________ Signature removed by moderator, unacceptable size. Some people have complexes about the size.

<Nikolai>, steering is worse than with hard tires, but the steering wheel is lighter. There is play, but less than in stock, and with hard tires there was no play for a year, and I think there wouldn’t be any more. I would like to try the Kaluga EUR, because it seems to me that Makhachkala will not fix anything: a 3.1-turn rake, grant supports, cocked hats, a block - there is still no zero on the track.

Dream, it would be nice to make a key for a “special” nut, or knock out the pin, but this is only with the eura removed. If possible, you can connect diagnostics to the EUR and look at the first parameter in Openidag - it just shows the moment and the “center” of the EUR (windows in the glasses)

I did the same as here, only I didn’t unscrew the nut that holds the glass, but the EUR itself is like the Bi11i

__________________ Left a review - SUBSCRIBE.

Let the gloss of the posters convince us otherwise, Let the world on television be boring and deceitful, We again repeat our poster slogan: Rock and roll is dead, but rock is still alive!

Long gone are the days when driving a car was like a set of strength exercises for the arms. Today, in order to turn the steering wheel, just a light touch with the palm of your hand is enough, and all through the use of electric power steering. Of course, this device complicates the design, and the more complex the structure of any system, not just a technical one, the more susceptible it is to failures and breakdowns. Each Lada Priora is equipped with an electric power steering (EPS), and today we will tell you how to diagnose problems with it and dismantle it without contacting a car service center. Contents: 1 Problems with the ESD Lada Priora: signs and causes 1.1 The ESD has completely failed 1.2 Unstable operation of the steering wheel 1.3 Knock in the steering wheel 2 Removing and installing the ESD 2.1 How to remove the steering wheel? 2.2 Mounting block cover and steering column switches 2.2 The process of removing the electric booster 3 Mechanical failures of the power steering unit 4 How to keep the power steering unit in working condition longer?

Differences between EUR and power steering

The electric amplifier differs from the hydraulic one in the absence of fluid and the pump necessary to pump this fluid. Also, the hydraulic power steering operates entirely on mechanics, unlike the electric power steering, in which mechanics are involved only in the rack and steering wheel. EUR is much simpler and easier to maintain, but in terms of repairs it is much more expensive.

Advantages and disadvantages of EUR over power steering

Although the EUR is more modern and technologically advanced, it has both advantages and disadvantages over the power steering.

Advantages:

• The simplest design that does not require constant monitoring of the liquid level (dixtron);
• There is no need to service the power steering pump, since it simply does not exist;
• Reduction of force with increasing vehicle speed;
• Ability to programmatically adjust steering wheel force;
• Reliability of the design;
• Compact, no bulky pump in the engine compartment and no extra hoses;
• The simplicity of the steering rack and its reliability, since it is dry and there is simply nothing to leak in it (everyone knows very well about the disease of “wet” racks);

• High power consumption, at some points the electric power steering can take up to 40% of the electrical power of the car’s generator and cause voltage drops in the on-board network;
• Possibility of overheating of the electric motor when driving on a dirt road (track) up to the complete shutdown of the power steering;

As you can see, the more modern power steering has many more advantages, which is why it is gaining great popularity among cars at the present time.

Types of electric power steering in cars

Due to their wide range of advantages over conventional power steering, electro-hydraulic and electric power steering systems are becoming increasingly popular.

• Electrohydraulic booster

The electro-hydraulic system (EHPS) replaces the belt-driven power steering pump with an electro-hydraulic pump - a motor pump unit (MPU). This MPU combines an electric motor, associated control unit, gear pump and fluid compensation tank - all in one housing.

• Electric power steering

Electric power steering control systems operate entirely without hydraulic fluid. In them, movement is supported by an electric motor.

• Electric power steering on the steering column

This is an option in which additional torque is transmitted to the shaft through a worm gear. Used in small cars where there is little space in the engine compartment. Due to the mounting location, the requirements for the servo drive are significantly less stringent in terms of temperature range and sealing compared to conditions in the engine compartment.

• Electric power steering on the steering rack

Electric power steering with rack/belt steering system (belt driven EPS) offers superior performance. This system features precise steering response and instant feedback to the road surface.

Mechanical failures of the EUR

Why, exactly, did we remove the EUR? Diagnostics of the electrical part of the device did not reveal any problems, which means that we need to look for the cause of its malfunctions in the mechanics, which may be as follows:

• Worn or clogged drive elements or worm gear;
• Wear of the support bearing of the worm shaft of the electric drive;
• Other signs indicating destruction or wear of ESD parts.

In such cases, it is necessary to replace the worn part, if possible, trying to understand the factors that influenced this result of the amplifier's operation, or, in critical cases, buy a new electric amplifier.

How to keep the EUR in working condition longer?

Despite the fact that you can remove the EUR yourself in a garage, without special tools and special skills, this procedure is not quick, because There is no way to quickly get to this device. Therefore, motorists are interested in a simple question - how to avoid the need to repair or change the EUR. The answer is obvious - you need to extend its service life. To do this you will have to adhere to the following rules:

Technology is constantly changing, especially in cars. Whether it's related to safety features or mechanical system upgrades, there are always new things coming out every year. In fact, many more car manufacturers now produce cars with EPS (electronic power steering) systems, but most vehicles still use hydraulic systems.

Priora EUR control unit

This part serves to calculate the force applied to the steering wheel and the force that the electric motor applies to the steering wheel shaft. The block is also responsible for turning off the power steering at speeds above 100 km/h for a more sensitive understanding of the car.

The EUR control unit on the Lada Priora is located near the power steering electric motor on a special bracket.